The public must have confidence in the integrity of the process by which the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF or Task Force) makes its recommendations. The Task Force’s conflict of interest (COI) disclosure policies and procedures are an integral part of maintaining this trust. The intent of disclosing any potential conflict of interest is to ensure that the USPSTF develops a balanced, independent, objective, and scientifically rigorous product by understanding interests that could potentially influence the work and decision making of its members.
The USPSTF requires each member to disclose all information regarding any financial and nonfinancial conflicts of interest related to any topic in the Task Force’s portfolio. Potential Task Force members disclose potential conflicts prior to joining the Task Force. Disclosures are also updated throughout members’ tenures and for all in-progress topics to reflect changes in members’ situations over time.
All disclosures are reviewed by the Task Force Chairs according to the criteria specified in the USPSTF Procedure Manual and determined to be either Level 1, 2, or 3.
- Level 1 and Level 2 disclosures include nonfinancial disclosures that are not anticipated to affect the Task Force member’s judgment on a topic and smaller financial disclosures (under $1,000). These disclosures do not limit the Task Force member’s participation in the topic process.
- Level 3 disclosures include relevant financial disclosures over $1,000 and significant nonfinancial disclosures that may affect the Task Force member's view on the topic. Actions for Level 3 disclosures vary according to the nature of the conflict and may include preventing the member from serving as lead of a topic or on the workgroup of a topic, preventing the member from serving as a primary spokesperson for a topic, or preventing the member from taking part in all topic activities.
For all Level 3 disclosures, the Task Force Chairs determine the final action on the member's eligibility to participate on a specific topic based on the nature and significance of the potential conflict. Level 3 disclosures and related actions are displayed publicly on the Task Force website to ensure transparency. This page provides up-to-date Level 3 disclosures of current Task Force members for in-progress topics. Once the final recommendation for a topic is published, it is removed from this page and the disclosure information is added to the topic page in the Conflict of Interest Disclosures heading under the Copyright and Source Information section.
If you would like more information or have questions regarding member disclosures or the conflict of interest policy, please review the Conflict of Interest subsection (1.7) of the USPSTF Procedure Manual or contact us here.
Level 3 Disclosures for Current USPSTF Members
Michael J. Barry:
None
Wanda K. Nicholson:
None
Michael Silverstein:
Topic: Interventions to Prevent Perinatal Depression
Level 3 Disclosure: Dr. Silverstein received research grants on approaches to addressing perinatal depression.
Date of Disclosure: March 2023
Action: Dr. Silverstein may participate in the topic workgroup and deliberate and vote on this topic.
---------------------------
Topic: Primary Care Interventions to Prevent Child Maltreatment
Level 3 Disclosure: Dr. Silverstein received a research grant on approaches to child maltreatment prevention.
Date of Disclosure: March 2023
Action: Dr. Silverstein may participate in the topic workgroup and deliberate and vote on this topic.
David Chelmow:
Topic: Screening for Breast Cancer
Level 3 Disclosure: Dr. Chelmow served as chair of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Practice Advisory Committee. In this role, he was involved in the development of practice guidelines related to breast cancer screening.
Date of Disclosure: March 2022
Action: Dr. Chelmow is recused from all topic activities.
-------------------------------------------------
Topic: Screening for Cervical Cancer
Level 3 Disclosure: Dr. Chelmow serves as immediate past chair of the American Society of Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology and served as chair on the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologist Practice Advisory Committee. In these roles, he was involved in the development of practice guidelines related to cervical cancer screening.
Date of Disclosure: March 2022
Action: Dr. Chelmow is recused from all topic activities.
---------------------------
Topic: Screening for Osteoporosis to Prevent Fractures
Level 3 Disclosure: Dr. Chelmow served as chair for the Women’s Preventive Services Initiative Multidisciplinary Steering Committee and served as chair on American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologist Practice Advisory Committee. In these roles, he was involved in the development of practice guidelines related to osteoporosis.
Date of Disclosure: March 2022
Action: Dr. Chelmow is recused from all topic activities.
Tumaini Rucker Coker:
None
Esa M. Davis:
None
Katrina E. Donahue:
Topic: Screening for Osteoporosis to Prevent Fractures
Level 3 Disclosure: Dr. Donahue is the vice chair of the University of North Carolina Evidence Based Practice Center where faculty and primary care research fellows are working on this Task Force topic.
Date of Disclosure: March 2020
Action: Dr. Donahue may participate in the topic workgroup and deliberate and vote on the topic.
Carlos Roberto Jaén:
None
Li Li:
None
Gbenga Ogedegbe:
None
Goutham Rao:
None
John M. Ruiz:
None
James Stevermer:
None
Joel Tsevat:
None
Sandra Millon Underwood:
None
John B. Wong:
None
Current as of: August 2023
Internet Citation: Conflict of Interest Disclosures. U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. August 2023.